Summary

Conference Summary
The Farm Equipment – Motor Vehicle Crash Prevention Conference (FEMVCPC) was hosted by the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) on March 17-18, 2008 in Des Moines, Iowa. The fifty-four conference participants represented thirteen states. Among the participants were individual farmers (6); emergency medical technicians (2); representatives from county sheriff offices and state police (10); state extension services (8); state departments of transportation, motor vehicles or highway safety (9); Farm Bureau offices (3); state driver education associations (3); farm safety research and programming organizations and conference host staff; and a commercial vehicle driver training association. Seven presentations were made at the conference and focused on various aspects of the environment in which farm equipment and motor vehicle crashes occur. These presentations also included suggestions on data gaps and collection issues, the role of driver training and perceptions of driver training instructors, and potential collaborative partners as well as potential techniques for use in collaborative prevention efforts.
FEMVCPC Activities Two categories of work groups were formed during the conference each with specific questions to discuss. The first work group activity was formed around similar professional backgrounds. Groups formed around law enforcement, state agencies, farmers, driver education, and retail dealers and manufacturers. The top three concerns, as well as suggested ways for addressing the concerns, were transcribed and provided to all participants for use in the next work group activity. The second work group activity was formed around state contingents. Individuals from each of nine states represented formed a group for discussions (ND, SD, NE, KS, IA, IL, MN, MO, and NC). All state plans will be compiled and sent to all participants of the conference. These plans will be used as the basis for follow-up contacts and surveys to each state contingent to assess each states progress in achieving the activities within their plan.
State Plan Components State Plans developed by the state contingents contained a variety of activities. For several states, the information and discussion at the conference provided content for use in attracting appropriate state agencies to become involved in this issue. Another networking component of several states is the coordination of resources related to the issue for web site placement and links to those resources on current partner’s websites and seeking other web sites to link to the information. Other activities include Driver Education Associations pushing to get additional information on the topic into Driver Education Curriculums and County Sheriffs writing public service announcements for distribution by extension and Farm Bureaus. FEMVCPC Evaluation A brief review of overall conference and individual speaker evaluations indicted at least 90% of the participants agreed that the facilities and conference activities were enjoyable, that time at the conference was well spent and that using work-groups was a good strategy. As well, evaluations of the seven conference presentations indicated they were deemed to be useful and that the presentation increased participant knowledge of factors related to farm equipment and motor vehicle crashes.

Conference Summary

The Farm Equipment – Motor Vehicle Crash Prevention Conference (FEMVCPC) was hosted by the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) on March 17-18, 2008 in Des Moines, Iowa. The fifty-four conference participants represented thirteen states. Among the participants were individual farmers (6); emergency medical technicians (2); representatives from county sheriff offices and state police (10); state extension services (8); state departments of transportation, motor vehicles or highway safety (9); Farm Bureau offices (3); state driver education associations (3); farm safety research and programming organizations and conference host staff; and a commercial vehicle driver training association.

Seven presentations were made at the conference and focused on various aspects of the environment in which farm equipment and motor vehicle crashes occur. These presentations also included suggestions on data gaps and collection issues, the role of driver training and perceptions of driver training instructors, and potential collaborative partners as well as potential techniques for use in collaborative prevention efforts.

FEMVCPC Activities

Two categories of work groups were formed during the conference each with specific questions to discuss. The first work group activity was formed around similar professional backgrounds. Groups formed around law enforcement, state agencies, farmers, driver education, and retail dealers and manufacturers. The top three concerns, as well as suggested ways for addressing the concerns, were transcribed and provided to all participants for use in the next work group activity.

The second work group activity was formed around state contingents. Individuals from each of nine states represented formed a group for discussions (ND, SD, NE, KS, IA, IL, MN, MO, and NC). All state plans will be compiled and sent to all participants of the conference. These plans will be used as the basis for follow-up contacts and surveys to each state contingent to assess each states progress in achieving the activities within their plan.

State Plan Components

State Plans developed by the state contingents contained a variety of activities. For several states, the information and discussion at the conference provided content for use in attracting appropriate state agencies to become involved in this issue. Another networking component of several states is the coordination of resources related to the issue for web site placement and links to those resources on current partner’s websites and seeking other web sites to link to the information. Other activities include Driver Education Associations pushing to get additional information on the topic into Driver Education Curriculums and County Sheriffs writing public service announcements for distribution by extension and Farm Bureaus.

FEMVCPC Evaluation

A brief review of overall conference and individual speaker evaluations indicted at least 90% of the participants agreed that the facilities and conference activities were enjoyable, that time at the conference was well spent and that using work-groups was a good strategy. As well, evaluations of the seven conference presentations indicated they were deemed to be useful and that the presentation increased participant knowledge of factors related to farm equipment and motor vehicle crashes.